Trouble at Computex Trouble at Computex CorporationCorporation

Case studyCase study

Six sales representative of Computex Corporation Six sales representative of Computex Corporation in Sweden write a letter to the European Vice in Sweden write a letter to the European Vice president.president.

They reported that there are serious problems They reported that there are serious problems among their sales group and their General among their sales group and their General Manager, Mr. Miller. If the problems remain Manager, Mr. Miller. If the problems remain unsolved, the majority group of salespeople have unsolved, the majority group of salespeople have threatened to leave the company.threatened to leave the company.

Cultural Dimension: Sweden vs. USACultural Dimension: Sweden vs. USA

Dimensions of Culture: Sweden vs. USADimensions of Culture: Sweden vs. USA

SwedenSweden

- High femininity (2)High femininity (2)

- Lower Individualism (45)Lower Individualism (45)

- Hostede (82) Hostede (82)

- Lower Power Distance Lower Power Distance

(12)(12)

- Moderate Achievement Moderate Achievement

(79)(79)

USAUSA

- Masculinity (74)Masculinity (74)

- Individualism (77)Individualism (77)

(100)(100)

- Higher Power Distance Higher Power Distance

(30)(30)

- High Achievement (97)High Achievement (97)

Individualism/ Communitarianism Swede (45)Individualism/ Communitarianism Swede (45)

- Tendency to be Communitarianism (regard as part of a - Tendency to be Communitarianism (regard as part of a group).group).

- Group reference- Group reference

- Shared responsibility- Shared responsibility

- Fitting in desirable- Fitting in desirable

Individualist US (77)Individualist US (77)- Individual achievement- Individual achievement-Personal responsibility, remuneration based on -Personal responsibility, remuneration based on individual rewards and individual punishmentsindividual rewards and individual punishments- Standing out as individual desirable- Standing out as individual desirable

Main problemsMain problems::(American manager vs. Swedes employees)(American manager vs. Swedes employees)

Femininity vs. Masculinity:Femininity vs. Masculinity:

Tendency of masculinity of American Manager: Tendency of masculinity of American Manager: • Leadership style more authoritarian, motivational assumptions Leadership style more authoritarian, motivational assumptions

tends to have emphasis on performance and growth, excelling tends to have emphasis on performance and growth, excelling to be best, work central to life, job recognition important, to be best, work central to life, job recognition important, Decision making tends to be decisive.Decision making tends to be decisive.

Tendency of femininity of Swedish Manager: Tendency of femininity of Swedish Manager: • Leadership styles tend to more participative, emphasis on Leadership styles tend to more participative, emphasis on

quality of life, work not central to life, decision making to be quality of life, work not central to life, decision making to be intuitive, group based intuitive, group based

Conclusion:

•Miller displays a lack of cultural sensitivity and savvy•There are strong differences in values regarding power distance, individualism, and masculine management style•A clash of "cultural maps" between the U.S. and Sweden.

As the vice president of the company

What could you have done differently in order to avoid problems among manager

and their employees?1. Have Miller prepare a cultural profile of

his host country2. Provide Miller with cross-cultural

training3. Provide Miller’s employees with cross-

cultural training,4. Provide Swedish managers cross

cultural training given the internationalization of their company